Lady Spartans split week, lose pitcher

The Emery High Lady Spartans ended the first half of region 12 play last Tuesday with an 8-0 victory over the Richfield Wildcats. Emery went 3-2 in that half. Emery then started the second half of region play at Manti and lost 10-0 as they were without starting pitcher Andi Smith.

On Tuesday, Smith pitched almost a perfect game in what may be her last pitching outing of the season. A lone single in the top of the seventh inning prevented the perfect game.

Smith struck out two of the three batters in the first inning, all three batters the second and third innings, two of the three in the fourth inning, one of the three in the fifth inning, all three in the sixth inning and one of four in the final inning. Smith finished the game with 15 strikeouts. The other outs were soft groundballs plus one pop-up to the first baseman. This was Smith's second straight one-hitter. Smith may now be done for the season with an elbow injury.

Offensively against Richfield, Emery had 10 base hits in scoring those eight runs. In the first inning, Makia Sherman singled to start the game and would score on a ground ball from Mackenzie Grange. Markette Tanner also had a single in the first inning. Emery added another run in the second inning. Whitney Roper singled as the lead off batter and scored on a ground ball off the bat of Sherman. Danavin Reed also singled in the inning. In the third inning, Emery added three more runs to go up 5-0. Gabby Guymon got on due an error by the Richfield shortstop, Grange doubled and then Roper doubled to knock in two runs. Shelby Mason then also doubled to knock in Roper.

In the fourth inning, Emery added another run. Guymon singled and scored on a triple off the bat of Michelle Oliver that went to right center field. Emery's last two runs came in the bottom of the fifth inning. Reed walked to open the inning and then Abbie Kay walked. Sherman hit a ball to right field for a single but the ball was misplayed and both runners scored. On Friday, Emery traveled to Manti to play last season's 2-A state champions. Manti scored two runs in the first inning on two base hits, five runs in the second inning on five base hits, two more runs in the fourth inning on three base hits and another run in the fifth inning on three base hits. Manti finished the game with 14 base hits. Manti had a double, three triples and a homerun among those hits.

Emery was stymied most of the game when it came to batting. Mason and Jennings each had a single and a double in the game but could not get a runner home. Sherman and Tanner each had a single for the only Emery hits of the day.

In the first inning, Sherman and Tanner opened the game with back-to-back singles but a soft grounder and two strikeouts closed out the inning. In the second inning, Mason doubled and after a strikeout, Jennings singled but a fly out to short left and a strikeout ended the threat. In the fourth inning, Mason singled and Jennings doubled but a strikeout also ended that inning.

Emery plays three games this week. On Tuesday, Emery hosts Juab, on Wednesday, Emery plays a non-region game against North Sevier and on Friday, Emery will host North Sanpete.